Sudden Life
by valondon
Summary: During the night of the Final Battle, Harry must confront his fate and end Riddle once and for all. Can he find the strength to do it and survive with all the death that surround him?


A darkened sky. That's what these longs years have brought us. A world so dark and cold, not even an angel could call forth the light. A battlefield littered with dead bodies, bathed in the blood of children sent to die. A war that was never worth fighting. How was good supposed to come from so much suffering?

A red gleam erupts in the blackened night. The forest off to the distance catches fire as the growingly distant battle reaches the tree line. I stagger forward with a bloodied sword in one hand and a scorched wand in the other. Someone is calling out to me, trying to get my attention. I ignore them as I walk forward, intent on my mission. The pain had to end.

One might ask why I do this? Simple. There's nothing left worth living for. Everyone I ever cared about is either dead or dying. The love of my life... Gone. Taken from this world by a flash of bright green light. The air above her scorched by extreme evil. No, there was no need to carry on. The time to end this is now.

"Harry! Harry, where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" Shouted a voice. I can only half hear it and the owner of said voice doesn't really register. It can't be that important. There is a dark lord to kill after all. So I keep walking. I don't make it far before a strong hand seizes me and yanks me back, sending me sprawling on the ground. I look up in disgust into the face of a red head whom I've considered my best friend for as long as I've been in this world. His face is has several cuts and bruises, with blood dripping from some of the wounds onto the ground adding to the pool already formed from the dead.

I point my wand at him as I stand back up, "Ron, you have to let me do this! This battle needs to end! You know the prophecy. You know that I have to be the one stop him. Why can't you just let me go?" My hand holding the wand that was trained on my best friend shook as I tried to convince him. I had to convince him. For his sake and mine.

"Harry, mate. You're not in the right state of mind. What are you going to let You-Know-Who do?" Ron was staring right into my eyes. I can see the pain there. We lost the Weasley's together. They were his family. They were my adopted family. I was hoping that after Tom was dead, I could become a real part of their family with... Well, that can never happen now.

"Ron. Please. I need to confront Tom for the last time. For better or worse. And I can't do it if you're there." I pause and gesture to the spell fire in the distance taking place at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. "They can't keep fighting. There's not enough of us left. No one else should die because I haven't faced my demons yet! And if you're there, he might kill you first! I can't protect you, brother. Go, be safe. You need to be strong for those that survive this. If I don't make it out, you need to help everyone out. If I do, we'll rebuild this world together, I swear. But if I defeat that bastard and you're gone... I can't do it. Tonight may very well be the end for me, but it will not be the end for all that's good in this world!"

Tears start streaming down Ron's face by the time my impassioned speech came to a close. I've long since lowered my wand and I look my best friend and brother in the eyes, pleading for him to agree with me and head back to the castle. After several long and tense moments he nods his head, turning around and limping back to Hogwarts.

I sigh as I turn my attention back to the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid's hut is nothing but ash and rubble at this point. Those bastard's couldn't even that well enough alone. With a new fire forming in the pit of my stomach, I start to march to the dwelling I knew Tom is residing in. They will pay.

As I near the edge of the forest, I came into contact with the combatants on the side of the light. I don't look at any of them as I purposefully stride forward. Soon I can make out Death Eater mask peering from behind trees as they hurl spells toward the side of the light. I raise my wand and with a sharp flick a black and red spell is sent toward the largest group of Death Eaters I could see. Less than a second later a loud explosion erupts in the trees, sending bark and body parts flying in every direction. The sound of the explosion mutes the screams of the agents of evil as their life force is extinguished.

I survey the scene of my destruction with grim satisfaction. I wish I could make them all pay for their heinous crimes, but now is not the time for that. Now is the time to end Tom. After my brief respite comes to an end, I continue my dutiful march forward. The Death Eaters around me start to scatter. No one wishes to fight me. They're forbidden to kill me, but I have no such restrictions in regard to them. No, they're not all stupid.

After what felt like ages but was really only a few minutes, I arrive in a circular clearing. I stop and stand still at the edge of it, peering down at my most hated and feared enemy. Tom Riddle stood in the middle of the clearing, his eyes alight with glee at the death and destruction he has wrought that night. I raise my chin up high and take the last few steps necessary to become visible to my hated enemies.

Tom's eyes lock onto me as soon as I become visible, and his mouth twist itself into an inhuman smile as he says, "Harry Potter. Had enough? Can't stand to see your pathetic friends suffer and die needlessly anymore? For some supposed leader of the light, you seem to have no problems sacrificing other's so that you may live. That is a trait that would make you do well by my side. So what do you say, Harry? Shall we end this pointless conflict with you by my side?"

I throw my head back and laugh, "That's a good one, Tom. Me, join you? I've dedicated my life to ending you. It would reflect badly on my to just give up on my goal after I've come so far, don't you think?"

Tom sneers at me as he replies, "Foolish boy. Time and time again you turn down my offers. And for what? You'll die here tonight. Your friend and family are all dead themselves. That pretty little redhead you seem to have fallen for, what was her name? Ginevra? I killed her personally. I got to watch with glee as the life force left her body. How does that make you feel, Harry? The people that you most care about are all gone. By my hands. And now, you are next."

With each word that came out of the snakes mouth my anger grew and grew. I was raising my wand just as Tom's speech came to an end. Our eyes locked and a moment of clarity fell on me. This is it. This is the moment where it all ends. I bring my wand up in the air as Tom mirrors my actions. We both flick our wrist and the clearing erupts in an intense white light. As my vision blurs I can feel an awakening connection and sickening feeling. In the center of my eyes I can see Ginny's bright and smiling face, and suddenly I realize - Ginny Weasley is alive. Tom Riddle is leaving this plane of existence, and he's taking me with him. Away from my beloved. I let out a guttural scream and wrench myself away from the coming light and collapse on the ground. As I lose consciousness, a smile forms on my face. Ginny is alive, and I saved the myself for her.

**AN: So, this started out with just the first paragraph. I write things like that all the time. But this paragraph seemed to take a life of its own and morph into this short little one shot that I have here. I guess it's because fan fiction has been on my mind a lot lately. I've been plotting out and mentally preparing a novel length story that I want to start writing soon. I don't want to get too deep into writing it however until finals are over. I'm not sure if I'll be writing the whole thing before I start posting it or post as I go along. Just be on the lookout. The title for this one comes from the Rise Against song: Sudden Life. Oh, and be sure to review!**


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